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Minor League Update Thawing Bats
The bats in Dunedin and Lansing thawed out.  The Auburn bullpen blew a good start by Egan Smith, the GCL Jays were short on hitting with just three hits.  Casey Janssen threw a shutout inning for Dunedin.

Las Vegas - All Star Break

In the all-star game Randy Ruiz was 0-2, both strikeouts.  Ex-Jay Eric Kratz was the MVP with a 2-2 night including a double and a two run home run. 


New Hampshire - All Star Break

Brian Dopirak and Brian Jeroloman played in the all-star game.  Dopirak was 0-4 with a walk.  Jeroloman was 0-1 with a walk.


Dunedin 8  Lakeland 0

Dunedin scored three in the fifth and five in the sixth.  The offense in the fifth started with two outs.  Sean Shoffit doubled, Brad McElroy had an infield single, John Tolisano doubled in two runs and Manny Rodriguez singled in a run.

In the sixth Kevin Ahrens tripled; Jon Jaspe singled in a run; Adam Loewen doubled in the second run of the inning; Justin Jackson reached on a fielders choice; and Sean Shoffit hit a three run home run.

Ryan Page started and pitched five shutout innings.  Casey Janssen pitched the sixth with one hit allowed.  Tim Collins and Trystan Magnuson finished up.

Shoffit, Rodriguez and Ahrens had two hits each.


Cedar Rapids 7  Lansing 11

Lansing scored eight runs in the second inning and coasted home.  Lansing had seven hits in their big inning, four of the hits were for extra bases and Yohermyn Chavez finished the scoring with a two run home run.  Lansing had 13 hits, eight Lugnuts hit safely.  AJ Jimenez had three hits, Chris House, Justin McClanahan and Chris Emanuele had two hits each.  Chad Beck started and got the win despite giving up five runs.


Oneonta 8  Auburn 4

Auburn took a 4-2 lead into the eighth but the bullpen coughed up three runs in both the eighth and ninth innings.  Auburn had scored three runs in the fifth on a Jack Murphy double, a balk and a sac fly.  In the sixth Wellinton Ramirez hit a solo home run.  Yan Gomes and Murphy had two hits each.

On the mound Egan Smith pitched a one hitter over five shutout innings.  Willy Mendez, Austin Armstrong and Casey Beck all allowed runs out of the bullpen. 


GCL Blue Jays 2  GCL Pirates 3

Wade Miller made another rehab start and gave up two runs in 2.1 innings.  Matt Fields pitched 3.2 shutout innings and still has a 0.00 ERA in 14.1 innings. Alex Pepe took the loss by giving up an unearned run.

The Jays had three hits, all of which led to the Jays two runs.  in the first Oliver Dominguez singled, stole second and scored on an error.    In the third Dominguez doubled and Carlos Perez singled him home.  Those three hits were it for the Jays


Three Stars

3rd star - Egan Smith
2nd star - AJ Jimenez
1st star - Sean Shoffit

Posted by Gerry on Thursday, July 16 2009 @ 09:02 AM EDT.
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The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
katman - Thursday, July 16 2009 @ 10:49 AM EDT (#202709) #
Loewen is up to .244, and the reports on him are trending more positively lately. Looks like he's beginning to get his hitting back. Which, if Russell Martin is right, could be a nice long-term plus.
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Gerry - Thursday, July 16 2009 @ 02:21 PM EDT (#202721) #

Shaun Marcum is starting for New Hampshire tonight.  He is facing Madison Bumgarner and his 1.74 ERA.  Tomorrow the Fisher Cats get to face Tim Alderson, another good prospect.

Brian Dopirak has been promoted to AAA, a day after the AA all-star game.

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Pistol - Thursday, July 16 2009 @ 02:34 PM EDT (#202722) #
Interesting matchup tonight.  Sounds like you're showing up to NH a day or two late Gerry, although maybe you can get a Marcum interview now.
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John Northey - Thursday, July 16 2009 @ 02:35 PM EDT (#202723) #
That makes a lot of sense, moving Dopirak up after he gets an All-Star game in.  Players need special moments like that as they learn a bit more about pressure as they know scouts for the big team and other big league teams are there and that their performance is being watched closely (top talent vs top talent is always a big thing to talent evaluators).

Wonder how long Marcum will be left in?  3 innings would be the max I'd think at this stage.

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Mike Green - Thursday, July 16 2009 @ 02:59 PM EDT (#202726) #
Marcum threw 3 innings in each of his first two starts.  I'd guess that he goes 4. 

Brian Dopirak does not need to spend time in triple A, least of all in a favourable hitting environment.  What he does need is for the big club to open up a spot for him by saying a fond farewell to Kevin Millar.  Dopirak is 25, and he has done enough to make clear that he is a better hitter than Millar now.  He should be used as a sometime platoon DH/1B and pinch-hitter, with 80% of his at-bats against LHP.

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Mylegacy - Thursday, July 16 2009 @ 03:25 PM EDT (#202728) #

Mike I agree that Dopriak is BETTER than Millar now. However, I would let him hit a more balanced R/L split than the 80/20 you suggest. At AA this year he's hitting: VS LEFTIES: 338/416/662 and in 2008 at Dunedin he hit 340 against lefties. BUT - this year he is hitting 299/361/550 against RIGHTIES and in 2008 he hit 301 against them.

I think the kid might be a good full time hitter by 2010. Dopriak could replace Overbay at first with Lind the full time DH and Snider the full time LFer. Looks GOOD - if we can keep - or rplace (unlikely) - Rolen and Scutaro.

The more I think about it losing Rolen and Scutaro are the TWO moves that we just can't recover from.

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John Northey - Thursday, July 16 2009 @ 04:53 PM EDT (#202739) #
If Millar is released and Dopirak is brought up we know the Jays have officially given up on 2009 - which is weird as I figure Dopirak would hit better anyways :P

Millar is now at 241/318/373 for an 82 OPS+ (projections had him from 719 to 765 for OPS vs his 691 real figure)
Dopirak's projections had him at (CHONE) 221/268/354 to (ZIPS) 252/295/425 to (Oliver) 266/314/483.

Given Dopirak has done well while Millar...hasn't I suspect Dopirak's higher end projections would be more likely now and would make him more valuable than Millar.
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Gerry - Thursday, July 16 2009 @ 10:52 PM EDT (#202755) #

Dopirak 2-2 so far.

Fabio Castro pitching well through four innings.

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